As forest fires rage across Italy, families have been evacuated from their homes in a suburb east of Rome out of fear that firefighters will not be able to contain a nearby blaze.
25 family homes were evacuated near the Monte Catillo nature reserve in the Roman suburb of Tivoli. An orphanage that housed 30 children has also been evacuated for safety.
Videos from the scene, shared by Italian firefighters, show flames and burned-out buildings.
Firefighters battle blaze near Rome: Firefighters battle to extinguish a wildfire in the natural reserve of Monte Catillo in Tivoli, near Rome. Police and firefighters are investigating the cause of the fire. pic.twitter.com/xTlcv0u4F0
— World News 24 (@DailyWorld24) August 13, 2021
#Tivoli, #incendio nell’area della Riserva Naturale Monte Catillo: 7 squadre di #vigilidelfuoco e un #canadair sono in azione sui due fronti ancora attivi, a Marcellina e a San Polo dei Cavalieri. Operazioni di spegnimento in corso [#13agosto 8:30] pic.twitter.com/JEnUH2IBuv
— Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) August 13, 2021
To help fight the fire, water-carrying planes have been deployed to the scene.
Forest fires have been burning across Italy as a result of extremely high temperatures. Among those regions badly hit is the southern island of Sicily, which last week recorded the highest ever temperature ever recorded in Europe, at over 48 degrees Celsius.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has stated the government will do more to prevent wildfires in the future and that areas that have been burned will be replanted in the near future.
The Italian wildfires come as huge fires last week swept Greece and Turkey. The fires in both countries left several people dead and were among the most fierce and widespread ever recorded. Again, extreme temperatures and a very dry climate was said to be responsible for the fires starting and taking hold in such a violent way.
Spain, which has also experienced fires this summer, is currently bracing itself for the arrival of 'Lucifer', a huge wave of heat that is heading across the Mediterranean from Algeria, another country that has experienced large wildfires and dozens of related deaths – including 25 soldiers.
Climate scientists have now said they regard the Mediterranean as a forest-fire hotspot, and that extreme heat could kill thousands each year with or without resulting wildfires.
This uptick in fires is being blamed firmly on climate change and global warming. World leaders will meet in Glasgow in November in order to agree new targets and methods for fighting climate change and greenhouse gases.
[h/t: Reuters]
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